Waterfowl decoy deployment apparatus

Abstract

A waterfowl decoy deployment apparatus comprises a drive wheel 82 having a vertical drive shaft 86 depending from a horizontal support plate 84 , the drive shaft 86 rotatably locked in the drive shaft bore 80 of a reinforcement bearing 76 affixed to a housing 14 , the motor shaft 58 from a motor 48 affixed to the housing 14 extending upwardly and rotatably secured in a motor shaft bore 90 in the lower end of the drive shaft 86 , an array of waterfowl decoy deployment arms 18 radiating symmetrically and outwardly from the support plate 84 , each waterfowl decoy deploying arm for supporting a waterfowl decoy, such that activation of the motor shaft 58 causes the drive wheel 82 , bearing 76 , and array of decoy deployment arms 18 to rotate in unison thereby deploying a plurality of decoys in a lifelike presentation.

I claim: 
     
       1. A waterfowl decoy deployment apparatus comprising:
 a stand, 
 a housing supported above a ground surface on said stand, said housing including a horizontal top plate having a drive shaft opening, 
 a motor secured to the top plate of said housing, said motor having an upwardly extending motor shaft, 
 a bearing cage secured to the top plate of said housing, 
 a reinforcement collar rotatably secured in said bearing cage, said reinforcement collar having a drive shaft bore, 
 a drive wheel having a support plate and a drive shaft depending from said support plate, said drive shaft having a lower end both freely received in the drive shaft opening of and extending through the top plate of the housing, said lower end including a motor shaft bore, said drive shaft both received in the drive shaft bore of and fixed to said reinforcement collar such that said reinforcement collar rotates in unison with said drive shaft, said motor shaft both received in the motor shaft bore of and fixed to said drive shaft, and 
 an array of decoy deployment arms radiating symmetrically from the support plate of said drive wheel for deployment of waterfowl decoys, 
 such that activation of said motor causes the motor shaft, drive wheel, reinforcement collar and decoy deployment arms to rotate, and that during rotation thereof said reinforcement collar provides lateral support for the drive shaft of said drive wheel. 
 
     
     
       2. The waterfowl decoy deployment apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising:
 the top plate of said housing including a lower surface, 
 a plurality of spacers interposed between said lower surface and said motor, such that said motor is spaced from said lower surface. 
 
     
     
       3. The waterfowl decoy deployment apparatus of  claim 1  wherein:
 said housing includes a bottom plate spaced from said top plate, and 
 said stand is affixed to said bottom plate. 
 
     
     
       4. The waterfowl decoy deployment apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising:
 a plurality of waterfowl decoys, each decoy having a support rod, 
 said decoy deployment arms each having one or more distal ends for deployment of waterfowl decoys, and 
 each of the distal ends of each arm of said array of arms including a rod-receiving bore for receiving one of said support rods. 
 
     
     
       5. The waterfowl decoy deployment apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising:
 a fastener opening in said reinforcement collar, 
 a set screw threadedly received in said fastener opening which, when tightened, engages said drive shaft for securing said reinforcement collar thereto. 
 
     
     
       6. The waterfowl decoy deployment apparatus of  claim 1  wherein:
 said reinforcement collar extends above said bearing cage. 
 
     
     
       7. The waterfowl decoy deployment apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising:
 said decoy deployment arms each having one or more distal ends for deployment of waterfowl decoys. 
 
     
     
       8. The waterfowl decoy deployment apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising:
 a plurality of ball bearings interposed between said reinforcement collar and said bearing cage. 
 
     
     
       9. The waterfowl decoy deployment apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising:
 the support plate of said drive wheel having a planar top surface, and 
 each of the decoy deployment arms in said array thereof is disposed at an acute angle to said top surface. 
 
     
     
       10. A waterfowl decoy deployment apparatus comprising:
 a stand, 
 a housing supported above a ground surface on said stand, said housing including a horizontal top plate having a drive shaft opening, 
 a motor secured to the top plate of said housing, said motor having an upwardly extending motor shaft, 
 a bearing cage secured to the top plate of said housing, the top plate of said housing including a lower surface, a plurality of spacers interposed between said lower surface and said motor, such that said motor is spaced from said lower surface, 
 a reinforcement collar rotatably secured in said bearing cage, said reinforcement collar having a drive shaft bore, 
 a drive wheel having a support plate and a drive shaft depending from said support plate, said drive shaft having a lower end both freely received in the drive shaft opening of and extending through the top plate of said housing, said lower end including a motor shaft bore and an aperture disposed between the lower surface of said top plate and said motor, said motor shaft received in said motor shaft bore, a fastener received in said aperture and engaged with said motor shaft for fixing said motor shaft to said drive shaft, said drive shaft both received in the drive shaft bore of and fixed to said reinforcement collar such that said reinforcement collar rotates in unison with said drive shaft, and 
 an array of decoy deployment arms radiating symmetrically from the support plate of said drive wheel, said decoy deployment arms each having one or more distal ends for deployment of waterfowl decoys, 
 such that activation of said motor causes the motor shaft, drive wheel, reinforcement collar and decoy deployment arms to rotate, and that during rotation thereof said reinforcement collar provides lateral support for the drive shaft of said drive wheel. 
 
     
     
       11. A waterfowl decoy deployment apparatus comprising:
 a stand including a center support column and a plurality of legs, said support column having a top end and a bottom end, said plurality of legs extending radially from said bottom end, 
 each of said legs having a support hood and a leg extension, said support hood attached to and extending outwardly from said support column, said support hood having two side walls, a top wall bridging said side walls, and a pivot pin extending between said side walls, each leg extension having a proximal end captured by said pivot pin between said side walls and moveable about said pivot pin between collapsed and splayed positions, in said collapsed position said legs disposed substantially in longitudinal alignment with said support column, and in said splayed position said legs extended outwardly from said support column wherein upward rotation of said legs is limited by engagement of said leg with the top wall of said support hood, 
 a housing supported above a ground surface on said stand, said housing including a horizontal top plate having a drive shaft opening, said housing supported on said top end of said support column, 
 a motor secured to the top plate of said housing, said motor having an upwardly extending motor shaft, 
 a bearing cage secured to the top plate of said housing, 
 a reinforcement collar rotatably secured in said bearing cage, said reinforcement collar having a drive shaft bore, 
 a drive wheel having a support plate and a drive shaft depending from said support plate, said drive shaft having a lower end both freely received in the drive shaft opening of and extending through the top plate of said housing, said lower end including a motor shaft bore, said drive shaft both received in the motor shaft bore of and fixed to said reinforcement collar such that said reinforcement collar rotates in unison with said drive shaft, said motor shaft both received in the motor shaft bore of and fixed to said drive shaft, and 
 an array of decoy deployment arms radiating symmetrically from the support plate of said drive wheel, said decoy deployment arms each having one or more distal ends for deployment of waterfowl decoys, 
 such that activation of said motor causes the motor shaft, drive wheel, reinforcement collar and decoy deployment arms to rotate, and that during rotation thereof said reinforcement collar provides lateral support for the drive shaft of said drive wheel. 
 
     
     
       12. A waterfowl decoy deployment apparatus comprising:
 a stand including a center support column and a plurality of legs, said support column having a top end and a bottom end, said plurality of legs extending radially from said bottom end, 
 each of said legs having a support hood and a leg extension, said support hood attached to and extending outwardly from said support column, said support hood having two side walls, a top wall bridging said side walls, and a pivot pin extending between said side walls, each leg extension having a proximal end captured by said pivot pin between said side walls and moveable about said pivot pin between collapsed and splayed positions, in said collapsed position said legs disposed substantially in longitudinal alignment with said support column, and in said splayed position said legs extended outwardly from said support column wherein upward rotation of said legs is limited by engagement of said leg with the top wall of said support hood, 
 a housing supported above a ground surface on said stand, said housing including a horizontal top plate having a drive shaft opening, said housing supported on said top end of said support column, 
 a motor secured to the top plate of said housing, said motor having an upwardly extending motor shaft, 
 a reinforcement bearing assembly having a bearing cage and a bearing, said bearing cage secured to the top plate of said housing, said bearing rotatably secured in said bearing cage, said bearing having a center aperture, 
 a drive wheel having a support plate and a drive shaft depending from said support plate, said drive shaft having a lower end including a center bore, said drive shaft both received in the center aperture of and secured to said bearing, said motor shaft both received in the center bore of and secured to said drive shaft, and 
 an array of decoy deployment arms radiating symmetrically from the support plate of said drive wheel, said decoy deployment arms each having one or more distal ends for deployment of waterfowl decoys, 
 such that activation of said motor causes the motor shaft, drive wheel, bearing and decoy deployment arms to rotate, and that during rotation thereof said reinforcement bearing assembly provides lateral support for the drive shaft of said drive wheel.